By Jarrod Horak
The final week of Del Mar’s 2023 Bing Crosby Season featured four graded events on turf. I wrapped up my 13-day Del Mar Fall Meet Horse of the Day video series with five top choice winners and four runner-up finishes. Check out my Del Mar closing week stakes recaps below.
Del Mar Closing Week Stakes Recaps (Dec. 2-3)
Stormy Liberal – Dec. 2 – 5 furlongs turf
I had a feeling that Lane Way was going to get overbet. I have always liked him but five panels was just too short for him, and this race did not set up for him. He ended up completing the trifecta at 1.90-1. Unconquerable Keen ((IRE) was bet down to 1.70-1 and he made the lead from the inside post and kept on going in a 1 3/4 length victory for Flavien Prat and Phil D’Amato. My top choice Turn On the Jets (IRE) stalked the pace and landed the place, and Lane Way raced evenly. The latter should go better at 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf course at Santa Anita. Daniel’s Magic, Honey Pants, Johnny Podres, and See Through It also ran. The wire-to-wire winner stopped the clock in 55.87 and paid $5.40.
Grade 3 Jimmy Durante – Dec. 2 – One mile turf
Zona Verde (IRE) got clear from post 10 and that was all she wrote. The fractions were 23.59, 48.08, and 1:12.15. She was traveling smoothly on the front end under Juan Hernandez and nobody ever challenged her. Phil D’Amato’s filly scored by a length and paid $23..60 to win. Lady de Berry (IRE) rallied for the place as the beaten favorite for Flavien Prat and Chad Brown, and this race simply did not set up for her. Yatta rallied for the show and was followed by Antifona (FR), Mrs Brightside (IRE), Mo Fox Givin, She Is Romantic, Circle of Trust, my fading top choice Go With Gusto, and Blue Oasis. The final time was 1:36.02.
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